


Enigma

by mayghaen17



Series: Somewhere in Time [5]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bad BDSM Etiquette, Blood Play, Dark Magic, Edging, Exhibitionism, Explicit Sexual Content, Extremely Dubious Consent, F/M, Grey Magic, Hogwarts Seventh Year, Infidelity, Love Triangles, Mind Control, Murder, Oral Sex, Slytherin Hermione, Time Travel, Tom Riddle is His Own Warning, Torture, Verbal Abuse, Verbal Humiliation, Violence, Voyeurism, dramione - Freeform, memory manipulation, tomione - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:42:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25167913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mayghaen17/pseuds/mayghaen17
Summary: Ever since being told he was a wizard at the age of eleven, Tom Riddle embraced the power. When he learned of his heritage, he made his plans and was determined to see them through. Just as things are falling into place, the enigma that is Hermione Granger crosses his path. Will she foil his plans or change them for the better?
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger/Tom Riddle
Series: Somewhere in Time [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1792948
Comments: 13
Kudos: 122





	1. First Impressions

**Author's Note:**

> Hello dear readers!
> 
> This is just one big Author's Note that I highly suggest you read :)
> 
> I'm working on a few projects where I'm going to be writing from Riddle's POV and decided to use this as a test run. I'll be taking scenes from Continuum and maybe Uncharted that were in either Hermione or Draco's POV and redoing them as drabbles for Riddle's POV. I'm not going to be doing every scene, but I will absolutely get the important ones! I will be posting them in chronological order to make it easier to follow.
> 
> Each drabble will vary in length and there is no schedule on when I'll post. Just whenever the mood strikes and I write something
> 
> If you have not read either Continuum or Uncharted, please turn back now as this will make absolutely no sense.
> 
> For those of you that have read that series and are excited for this, ENJOY!
> 
> As always, feel free to join my FB Group: madrose_writing for more!
> 
> And thank you to my lovely Alpha honeysweetcutie!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first time Riddle meets Draco and Hermione.
> 
> Scenes from chapters 1 & 2 of Continuum

**_Tuesday, 2 September 1944_ **

The rumor of two new transfers had spread like Fiendfyre around the Great Hall during breakfast. Not a word of their arrival had been spoken about the day before, nor had there been anyone new on the train other than the First Years. The speculation of where they were from and why they were only just hearing of it carried on into Defense Against the Dark Arts as well.

Tom tried not to dwell on it. As Head Boy, he was sure Headmaster Dippet would fill him in at some point. Two students were not nearly as important as his class schedule or the amount of homework he intended to get ahead on. If they crossed his path, he would be as cordial as ever.

Right after Defense, Riddle went to Arithmancy. The rumors were as thick as ever and he rolled his eyes at the amount of changes they had gone through in an hour's time. Wanting to get away from the gossip, he was the first out of the classroom the moment the bell tolled. With a free period before lunch, he made his way down to the dungeons to take advantage of the privacy having the Head Boy's dorm allowed.

In all his life, he had never had his own room. From time to time, he was alone in the room he kept at the orphanage. But there was never any guarantee that it was his. One night he could be alone and the next, more strays would be dragged in and he would be forced to share. Especially once he started attending Hogwarts. Whenever he returned to the orphanage now, he felt as though he belonged there less than ever before. Most nights, he was lucky to get a room and not one of the halls crammed with beds.

Sleeping alone had been strange the night before. It was nearly too silent for him to actually get any rest. But today he was looking forward to the silence.

As he entered the common room, he saw Pringle talking to two students he didn't recognize. He halted his steps as he took a moment to assess them. Their clothes were strange; designs he had never seen before. The boy was fair skinned and the platinum of his hair was eerily similar to that of his faithful follower, Abraxas Malfoy. He wondered if the newcomer were related, but surely Malfoy would have said something.

The girl had brown curls that cascaded down her back and skin that held the faintest traces of a golden glow. Whereas the boy stood tall and proud, she was hunched. It was as though she were trying to disappear. Her discomfort was tangible and it propelled him forward.

"Are these the transfers?" he asked, having caught the tail end of Pringle discussing the set-up of the dorms.

The girl went rigid at the sound of his voice, piquing his curiosity. He stopped moving once he was beside Pringle and let his gaze rake over the girl. Her face was pinched as though something sour rested on her tongue and her chocolate eyes were sizing him up from where she stood.

"Both of them made it into Slytherin," Pringle announced.

"Welcome home," Tom said, eyes boring into hers. "I would be happy to give them the tour, Pringle."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. Your duties are far too important," he said, flashing a smile at the school's caretaker.

He smiled and nodded at the students. "Welcome to Hogwarts, young ones. See you later, Tom."

Tom watched as the caretaker left the room and then turned towards the newcomers; his smile still in place. He reached out a hand to the boy first, forcing his attention away from the girl. "Draco Malory," he said, introducing himself. "This is Harmony Granger. We're from Durmstrang."

Tom's eyes widened at that. Everything he had heard about that school fit into his ultimate plans nicely. It was a shame he had had to attend Hogwarts instead. "How delightful," he said, releasing Malory's hand.

The girl stretched out her hand in the stiff way people did when they didn't want to, but they were too polite to help themselves. He considered shaking it as he had with Malory's but the overwhelming desire for more surprised him. He brought her hand to his lips, reveling in the softness of her skin.

"And you are?" Malory asked.

He withdrew from his thoughts and lifted his head, but didn't let go of her hand yet. He couldn't recall a time where he had forgotten his own manners. "Forgive me," he said after a moment. "I'm your Head Boy, Tom Riddle. Pleasure to meet you both."

At the revelation of his name, the boy stiffened intensely and the girl looked ready to spew sick all over the floor. It caught him off guard and set off warning bells in the back of his mind. His eyes drifted from the girl as Malory stepped between the two of them, forcing him to finally drop her hand. The protective stance he took felt like a challenge and for a reason Tom didn't quite understand, he felt ready to accept.

"Shall we proceed with the tour? I have already had my morning classes so I have the next period free before lunch. It is a rather large castle, but if we go now, we should have plenty of time before lunch. May I see your schedules?"

Malory handed his schedule over almost immediately. Granger, on the other hand, took a minute. He noticed the way she trembled as he took the piece of parchment from her. The way she refused to look him in the eye. He studied the schedule and savored the discovery that they had many classes together.

"We share the same taste in subjects. It seems the three of us have almost identical schedules. Though it looks like it is just you and I for Astronomy, Miss Granger. This should be a very quick tour," he said, handing the papers back to them. "Follow me," he insisted and lead them back out of the common room.

As they went, Tom was perplexed by the tingle that lingered at his lips. By the way his eyes would wander towards the girl every chance they got. Even when they parted ways after lunch, he couldn't get his mind to focus on anything else other than her.

He was even thinking of her as Headmaster Dippet sought him out before dinner, asking if he wouldn't mind sharing his room with Malory. Tom accepted without hesitation. He wasn't sure why, but he had learned to trust his gut instincts long ago and decided not to question it now.

Later, despite being surrounded by a vast majority of his housemates in the common room, he knew the instant _she_ entered the room. It was as though she were a homing beacon and he was destined to always seek it out.

"There you are. I hope neither of you lost your way," he asked as he met them near the entrance to the dorms.

"No, the castle isn't too hard to navigate," Malory said.

Tom's gaze flickered towards him for a moment before returning to Granger, ignoring the warning in his voice. "Dippet has your dorm assignments. There was a little trouble finding the space, but they made it work. Mister Malory, follow me."

They exchanged a worried glance and Tom felt his temper rise ever so slightly.

"Rules are rules," he drawled. "I'm afraid neither of the opposite sex is allowed the other dorms. I will be right back to show you your room."

The thought of being alone with her without the watchful eye of her protector gave Tom a certain rush. Especially when they stilled; their fear calling out to him.

"I thought you just said-"

"I'm Head Boy," he interrupted. "That rule does not apply to myself, the Head Girl, or the Prefects. No need to worry, we shall return shortly."

Annoyance coursed through him as Kalista, the Slytherin Prefect interrupted the moment. Tom was silent as she introduced herself and eased Granger's fears of being alone with him, stealing his moment. He watched as Malory assured her they would reunite soon and then the pairs split off.

Later that night, Tom was more annoyed than ever as his thoughts continued to be overridden by brown eyes and curly hair. Of soft skin against his lips and fear calling out to him like a siren at sea. Whatever it was about her, he was determined to get to the bottom of it. To drive her from his mind so he could refocus on his goals. Tomorrow was a new day and if all went well, it would be the last he wasted any time thinking about.


	2. Who Are You?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first time Riddle uses Legilimancy on Hermione.
> 
> Scene from chapter 4 of Continuum

**_Wednesday, 3 September 1944_ **

Tom was always up before the dawn. Sleep was for those that didn't have to worry about the same things as he did. For those that didn't have their sights set on a future they had to build from scratch. Normally, he would feel refreshed no matter how much or how little sleep her got. That morning, however, he felt the weight of the world crushing down on him. As if everything he had been working towards was starting to crumble.

For the life of him, he couldn't figure out why. The only thing that had changed so far was _her_.

It was bad enough he had wasted nearly the entire day thinking about her, but he had dreamt about her as well. Even as he went about getting ready for the day, he could sense her presence. Her magic called to him and he had to know why.

Not wanting to disturb his roommate, Tom gathered his things and went to the common room. He could tell that she was up and wondered if she would hide in her room or if he would be lucky enough to finally get a moment alone with her. So he sat on the couch to the left of the fireplace, facing the hallway towards the dorms and pulled out whatever textbook his hand came in contact with first.

Gooseflesh erupted over his skin, alerting him to her presence and he looked up immediately. She hesitated, but only for a moment. He saw a surge of determination in her eyes as she made for the opposite couch and perched on the seat furthest away from him. She too pulled a book from her bag and cracked it open to read.

"You are up early," he said, picking up his things and moving to a spot closer to her.

"New place," she muttered, forcing herself not to look up at him.

He frowned slightly as the tension around them thickened. "Miss Granger, have I done something to offend you?"

As he asked, he let his curiosity get the best of him; caving to the golden beacon that was her mind. Like water, he felt his magic seep into her. She surprised him by slamming up thick walls in an attempt to shut him out. She turned to glare at him, snapping her book closed. "Yes," she answered.

"Would you care to elaborate? We have only just met."

"I know all I need to know about you," she said, shoving her book back in her bag. "And I know what it feels like to have your mind invaded so I would stay out of my head if I were you."

Had she not said the first bit, Tom might have withdrawn his magic. Now, all he wanted to do was knock her walls down and find exactly what it was she claimed to know. He had never seen her before; had never heard her name. Yet, she said she knew him. She acted as though he were a monster.

"I apologize. Sometimes I forget my own skill. I have never had someone call me out before," he said, leaning forward. Her fear was intoxicating, but her determination not to show it was even more alluring. He saw the way her fingers dug into the leather and felt his lips curve into a ghost of a smirk. "May I ask what it is that I did?"

"You did. Twice now." She trembled from her fear and the energy it took to keep him from her thoughts. He inhaled deeply, wondering if he could taste it on his tongue.

He leaned back, watching her let out a slow breath. "Whatever it is, I apologize. It must have been quite awful for you to fear me as much as you do, Harmony."

The name rolled off his tongue, but he could tell she was aware that he knew that wasn't her real name. Which begged the question; _who was she_?

"If you will allow it, I would like the chance to make amends," he offered.

Her walls were slipping. She was not skilled in Occlumency at all. As impressed as he was by her ability to hold out this long, he knew it was only a matter of time before she crumbled. And he was barely trying. He could easily get beyond her mediocre defenses if he wished. It was simply a test.

"Granger?"

Tom extracted himself from her mind at the sound of his roommate's voice. The glare he trained on Tom would have made him squirm had he been inclined to be afraid of others.

"Good morning Mister Malory. Miss Granger and I were discussing her first night in the dorm. It seems neither of you slept well. Is there anything I might be able to help with?"

"Just a new place," he said, echoing Harmony's statement.

She smiled and got to her feet. Tom gave them both a tight-lipped smile. "I hope you both adjust to your surroundings. Hogwarts can feel like home if you allow it to."

She reached down for her bag, but he was faster. She jumped back as Tom got to his feet; bag in hand. She snatched it from him hastily, but his smile never wavered. Not until she turned to Malory and reached for his hand.

"I will see you both in Charms," he called after them as they walked away without a word.

The moment they were gone, the smile dropped from his face.

He had wanted a peek into her mind to appease his curiosity, but all it had done was make him want another hit. But Tom was nothing if not patient. So long as they were in the castle, he had plenty of time to figure out the mystery that was Harmony Granger.


	3. Feather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The incident in the Potion's supply closet.
> 
> Scene from chapter 5 of Continuum

**_Wednesday, 3 September 1944_ **

Tom watched from his spot across the room as the sole object of his thoughts and her apparent bodyguard argued throughout the beginning of Potions. When they were given their assignment, he waited until Harmony had gone towards the supply closet for the ingredients. He followed after her, making sure that Malory did not see his approach.

Her back was to him when he entered and she was staring at the shelves, seething to herself more than perusing the ingredients. Her magic was burning brightly in the small space between them and for a moment, he wondered if it would burn him.

"Trouble in paradise?" he asked.

She jumped, knocking a vial off the shelf. It crashed on the floor; glass and Gnarly Roots going every which way.

"I take that as a yes," he mused, using his wand to clean it up.

"Thanks," she muttered, her voice meek. She turned back to the shelf and grabbed a few things. He watched as a feather from the bird's nest in the rafters above drifted down and landed in her curls. He thought about reaching for it, but reconsidered rather quickly. She wasn't at all surprised to see him still standing there when she turned back around. "What?"

"You are very smart, Miss Granger," he replied. "I do not believe I have ever come across anyone with the kind of brain you seem to possess."

"A brain that is still off limits," she scolded.

His hands lifted in a mock surrender as he smiled at her. A rush of something unfamiliar hit him low in his gut as the corners of her lips lifted in kind. "I cannot promise to always catch myself, but I will do my best."

The desire to touch her was overwhelming. So much so, that he found himself unable to resist. His arm lifted as if on its own accord and reached towards her face. He saw her eyes go wide and fear rolled off of her in waves. She jumped back, slamming herself into the shelf behind her. She froze, but he didn't care. He just continued until he was able to pluck the feather from her hair.

Her hair was nearly as soft as her lips had been.

Slowly, he brought his hand back; reigning in his desire to sink his hand into her hair just to get a better feel of it. He held the feather between his thumb and forefinger before letting his eyes drift up. She followed his gaze, but he used her distraction to study her. When she met his gaze once more, he let the feather drop to the floor, turned on his heel, and left the room.

All he had learned this time was that having her around was no good for future. She was nothing but a distraction and if he wasn't careful, she might just be his downfall.


	4. Challenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The challenge between Malfoy and Riddle
> 
> Scene from Chapter 9 of Continuum

**_Thursday, 4 September 1944_ **

The fact that Granger had been gone all day and that multiple people had brought it to his attention didn’t sit well with Tom. The castle was a large place with plenty of places to hide. But the fact of the matter remained; wherever she was, she was here. He could sense her. It was her magic calling out to him again. The only thing that kept him from seeking her out for himself was that he could tell she wasn’t in danger.

Why he would have cared if she was was part of the problem itself.

But when neither she or Malory showed up by the time the lights had been doused in the dorms, it was his duty as Head Boy to search for them.

Having done a half-hearted search, one that he used to think more than anything, he made his way back to the dungeons. It was as he rounded the last corner towards the entrance of the common rooms that he heard them.

“Malfoy-“

Tom paused; his head tilting to the side wondering if he had misheard her.

“Please, Granger; not now. We can talk tomorrow.”

Tom’s feet were moving before he even realized that was the case. As they came into view, his voice cut off whatever she had parted her lips to say.

“Miss Granger, Mister Maloy. Do you realize it is past curfew?”

They both went still when they heard him, but after a moment, Malory turned his gaze to Tom’s. He wasn’t exactly surprised by the hatred there as he answered, “Yes,” without breaking the stare.

“Kalista told me you had yet to return since this morning, Miss Granger and Mister Malory did express concern for not having seen you since Defense. I went looking for you when neither of you turned up for lights out. I would not want either of you to get detention. Come along now. Off to bed.”

They followed Tom into the common room and took a moment to say goodnight to each other. He watched them with a guarded expression, not liking the warmth in her expression as she looked at Malory. As she disappeared down towards her room, Malory turned towards him and followed him to theirs.

“I will not report you, but I do hope the two of you do not make sneaking out a habit. We are supposed to be here for education, not fraternization,” Tom lectured the moment they were behind closed doors.

"I appreciate the concern, but I really don’t care what you think.”

Tom stared at Malory; his mask of indifference threatening to fall for a second. “You have made that very clear, Mister Malory. I just wonder what I did to give you such a spiteful impression of me.”

Malory bristled in the way men did when they donned their shiny white armor. “I’ve seen the way you look at her, Riddle,” he said, warning clear in his tone. “And I don’t like it. She’s mine.”

The anger that washed over him was surprising. “She is no one’s but her own,” he snapped, unable to contain it. He took a step forward, forcing Malory to hold his ground. “I know men like you. Men that hold women like her back. That think of her as nothing more than a prize to be won. She deserves better than you.”

Tom could see in Malory’s eyes that the laugh he emitted was as much a surprise to him as it was to Tom. “I know damn well that I don’t deserve her, but I assure you that if all the men in the world were dead except for you, she still wouldn’t even look your way twice.”

Tom felt his jaw clench as he resisted the urge to fire back with, _We’ll see._

Instead, he simply turned away and moved to his side of the room. As he lie awake with the curtains drawn around his bed that night, he found himself wondering, yet again, why he cared. One thing was certain; he had issued a challenge and Malory had not only acknowledged it, but accepted it.

Anything could happen and as his eyes finally closed for some much needed rest, he welcomed it either way.


	5. Observations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This scene is from Chapter 11 in which Riddle and Hermione are walking back to the dungeons after their first night of observation

**_Friday, 5 September 1944_ **

She had avoided the question of whether or not she had been educated prior to Durmstrang. Tom had let it go in the hopes of getting her to open up a little, but he wasn’t about to forget it. The fact that fear rolled off of her in waves when he’d asked about her little slip up spoke volumes. As did the fact that her mental walls slammed up once more.

But he didn’t pry. Instead, he simply carried on with the conversation at hand. It turned out, the more she spoke, the more relaxed he felt in her presence as well.

He was surprised that she had been agreeable to a study session with him on Thursdays, but wasn’t when she shot down his inquiry about her dueling experience. From the glimpses of her mind he had been able to get, he could tell she had had more experience than she was letting on. Having been as up to date as he could possibly be with the current political climate, he couldn’t recall ever seeing something that large in the reports. Which only furthered his idea that she was hiding something from him. From everyone.

As they left the tower for the night, Tom filled the otherwise silence of the castle on their way back down to the dungeons. “Will you join us for breakfast tomorrow?”

“As I said, I wouldn’t want to-“

“Intrude on the boys club, yes, I remember,” he said, turning to face her, thus stopping them in the middle of the hallway. He gave her a smile, one that would have reassured anyone else, but from the look in her eyes, she had taken it as anything but. “I do hope you reconsider.”

“No thank you,” she replied, her tone firm. “I have a feeling only you and Draco would want me there. I can put up with a lot, but people thinking they’re better than me because they’re rich and, well, men, is not something I strive to be around,” she said as she slipped past him.

He frowned at that. There was nothing more he wanted than to find out her opinions on certain things. With the plans that he had in mind for after graduation, if she shared his ideals, he saw her as an asset. Even if he didn’t want to.

“I agree, they do give off a certain air of arrogance, but I assure you, once they get to know you-“

“ _You_ don’t know me, Riddle. I just met you four days ago and today was the first time we had a semblance of a conversation. I’m glad you’re making friends with Draco; which I’m sure is more due to the fact that you’re sharing a dorm, but you don’t know _me_.”

Tom moved to block her path again, not caring that she huffed in annoyance. “Simply because you will not give me the chance to change that.”

Anyone else would have fallen under the spell of his charm by now. Anyone else would beg to be invited into his inner circle or be the one that caught his eye.

But not her.

She stared at him in silence and he could see the inner cogs of her mind working overtime to figure out what else to say. But her thoughts were broken as she yawned yet again and shook her head. “It’s late. Can we just get back to the common room so I can sleep?”

It would be so easy to slip past her defenses in this state. Being this tired would allow him easy access. She might not even be aware of his intrusion this time. But Tom held back. When he got into her mind, it would be because he finally won or she willingly let him in. He could wait a bit longer to see what she had to offer.

So he inclined his head and stepped aside so they could walk side-by-side. “I am sure Draco has been waiting up for you,” he said, more bitterness in his voice than he meant to have. “He made it quite clear he does not trust me around you.”

The only sound that came from her was another yawn.

Tom didn’t stop once they entered the common room. Sure enough, Malory was there; in the same spot he had been when he and Granger had departed earlier. They exchanged weary nods before Tom made his way towards the dorm. Alone at last, even for a small window, Tom tried to Occlude Granger from his inner most thoughts, but as he laid down to sleep, she was there again, haunting his dreams.


	6. Politics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 15 - scene were Riddle and Hermione discuss politics at lunch for the first time

**_Saturday, 13 September 1944_ **

Tom was surprised to see Granger taking a seat across from him instead of sitting further down with her dormmates as per usual. He did not appreciate the scowl coming from Kerus and gave him a stern warning look as he said, “Pleasure to have you join us, Miss Granger.”

“Thanks,” she muttered as she reached for the tray of sandwiches between them.

“Will you be joining us tonight or will the two of you be taking another lone trip to Hogsmeade?” he asked, looking between her and Malory.

“No Hogsmeade for us I’m afraid,” she replied, taking a long sip from her goblet. He clenched his jaw at the sight of her tongue darting out to catch a stray drop of pumpkin juice. The jolt that rushed through him was most unwelcomed. “And that depends. What is it that you all find so fascinating that it led you to start your little boys club?”

He forced his expression to remain unchanged as her condescending tone made his temper flare. “Just a friendly place to discuss the political unrest of the wizarding world.”

Beside him, Lestrange chuckled. “Not something the ladies usually find interesting.”

“I assure you, I find many things interesting, but I find it in poor taste to discuss politics with people I don’t know,” she said. “You never know what ideals might be taken the wrong way.”

“Perhaps some ideals are taken the wrong way because people are too scared to challenge the current ones,” he heard himself say before he could even register his mouth was moving. The idea that she had opinions on the way things were had Tom itching to find out what exactly she believed in.

Once again, her mind was running wild; something he could see clearly in the honeyed chocolate of her eyes. The fact that she seemed not to care that everyone was staring at them gave him a rush unlike anything else. Her smile was tight as she said, “So I take it you don’t agree with Grindelwald and his ideals?”

Amusement tipped his lips into a smirk as he leaned in, rising to the challenge. His mind wandered across to hers, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. “Grindelwald is a fool. He wants to out the Wizarding World to the masses. He’s too hungry for power. He’s more interested in getting results quickly instead of being strategic.”

“And you think you could do better?”

The surprise caught her off guard enough that he felt the moment her walls disappeared. The first thing that he encountered were the screams. Once he pushed beyond the sound, he saw magic streaking through the air; the stench of battle invading his nostrils. He pushed on, searching for answers.

But no sooner had her walls dropped and he had gained entry did she raise them back up. The force of their return pushed him from her mind as she slammed her hands down on the table. Every eye in the Great Hall fell upon them as they locked themselves in a silent battle of wills for a heartbeat or two.

And then she was pushing herself to her feet and fleeing the room. Tom watched her go; his own mind still reeling in awe of her. Whatever she had been through had been enough to make her fear him and yet again, he found himself craving answers more than ever.


	7. Olive Branch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 15 - after Hermione punches Kerus and Riddle provides a salve to heal her.

**_Saturday, 13 September 1944_ **

Tom generally didn’t like crowds or gatherings in the common room. Especially ones that were created out of celebration for Quidditch. Of all the aspects of being a wizard, the sport was his least favorite. There were better, more important things that required his attention. As it was, the sound of a scream bringing all conversation to a halt didn’t bode well. He gravitated towards the sound in time to see Granger shaking out her hand as Kerus bled through the hand held up to his face.

“Quentin, escort Kerus to the infirmary,” he ordered. Avery gave a curt nod and dragged a fuming Kerus with him back through the crowd to make an exit. Before she could protest, Tom’s hand found the small of Granger’s back to propel her away from prying eyes. She stopped short as she realized he was leading her down the boys’ corridor and pulled away from him.

He peered down his nose at her; his gaze dropping even further to her hand. “Would you like me to escort you to the infirmary as well?”

She shook her head immediately. “Not the first time I’ve broken someone’s nose,” she admitted, a secretive smirk on her face.

Tom was careful not to let his admiration show as he inclined his head. “Regardless, I am sure it hurts.”

“A little,” she mumbled after a moment.

He gestured down the hall with his other hand. “I have a salve that will help. I would be happy to share it with you if you will allow my assistance.”

He heard her swallow as she nodded. “Is Draco there?” she asked, her voice timid.

“I believe Clearance and Phileas stole his attention when you left the room. I will fetch him myself after we tend to your hand,” he assured her, wanting to get her as far away from everyone staring at them.

She finally relented and followed him down the hall. She lingered near the door after he had closed it and went to the cabinet near his bed on the right side of the room. “You’re welcome to sit, Miss Granger,” he said as he continued to rummage.

“No thank you,” she replied.

He shrugged and a few moments later, pulled out a little bronze jar and moved back to her. He opened it and angled it towards her; watching as she dipped her fingers into the salve with her left hand. Slowly, she began to massage her right hand and he could see her relax as the magic began to take effect.

“Thanks,” she added as he put the lid back on the jar.

“Keep it. Return it when you are done with it,” he said, holding it out to her until she pocketed it. “At this rate, it seems I may need to buy another. That is a bloke a week if I am not mistaken.”

The prideful smile that tipped her lips stirred something within himself. “Get inside my head again and I’ll make sure you’re the next week’s jab.”

The idea of her overcoming her fear of him enough to attempt to harm him was overwhelming. “I will take that into consideration,” he assured her, his voice a velvety purr as he thought back to the memory of how soft her skin was the day they had met. “What was it that Kerus said to you?”

Her skin flushed from golden to red as she cleared her throat and shifted uncomfortably. But she held his gaze whether she wanted to look away or not. “Something about how if I don’t put out, Draco will find a witch that will.” Her jaw ticked and her chin lifted slightly in a defiance that got to him. “He barely knows us. He had no right to make assumptions.”

Tom couldn’t remember the last time he had been this angry. Not even his activities over the summer had made his heart pound quite like this. “I assure you; he will not be making that mistake twice.” The conviction in his voice was received; he could see it in the way her eyes widened as well as the sharp inhale of breath she took.

He would see to it that Kerus never bothered her again.

She shrugged in attempt to shake off her reaction. “And if he does, I’ll aim lower.”

Tom felt his lips quirk into a smirk, but it lasted a fraction of a second. “Unfortunately, Kerus is very much a boy; focused on getting off instead of getting ahead in life.” He inhaled sharply and spread his hands in invitation. He did not need someone like that getting in the way of his ultimate goals. “You may stay here. I will send Draco in for you,” he said and took his leave before he said anything else he might come to regret.


End file.
